Clutch mechanism.



PATENTBD JAN. 17, 1905.

H. 0. HANSEN.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY e, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 780,169. PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905. H. G. HANSEN.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

AIPPLIOATION TILED MAY 8, 1903.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2. a

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PATENTED JAN 17, 1905.

H. 0. HANSEN.

GLUTGH MECHANISM.

NITED STATES Patented January 17, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,169, dated January17, 1905. Application filed May 8,1903. Serial No. 156,183.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANs C. HANSEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Clutch Mechanism, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts. This invention has for its object theproduction of a novel clutch mechanism by which a shaft may be turnedfor any part of a full rotation and be then arrested temporarily for anyperiod of time less than the time of a full rotation of thecontinuously-running pulley which is employed to drive said shaft inter-Inittingly.

()ne part of my invention comprises a shaft having a continuously-drivenloose pulley, a

clutch, and means to control the action of theclutch that it may be madeto engage the loose pulley and rotate the shaft intermittingly atpredetermined intervals for any number of degrees less than a fullrotation of said shaft.

Figure l is an end view of a clutch mechanism embodying my invention inone good form; Fig. 2, a detail showing detached the stand and meanscarried by it for rotating a ratchet to be described; Fig. 3, aleft-hand side view of the parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detailshowing part of the disk, one of its cams, and a pin moved by it; Fig.5, a rear side view of a ratchet-wheel having a stop indicator shaped tostop the shaft twice in each full rotation; Figs. 5 and 5", modifiedforms of starting-cams to be described. Fig. 6 is a section in the line41:, Fig. 1; Fig. 7, a detail showing a portion of the loose pulley, thedisk and cam, and interposed clutch device. Fig. 8 is a section to theright of the dotted line no.

In the drawings, A'designates a bearing stand forming part of a suitablesupport for a shaft A, that is to be rotated intermittingly to move saidpart of a machine at intervals as, for instance, a mold of atype-casting machine.

The shaft A has one end enlarged, as at A and bored to constitute achamber A". The shaft is surrounded by a loose pulley A",

by a belt deriving its motion from any usual counter-shaft. (Not shown.)One end of the pulley abuts a collar A on the shaft.

The loose pulley is shown as chambered at its outer side to leave aflange A, the inner side of which is circular.

l The enlarged end of the shaft A is embraced next the outer face of theloose pulley by a disk B, suitably fixed to the shaft, as by a key I).The particular shape of the disk is best shown in section, Fig. 6, andin eleyation, Fig. 8, where the inner side of said disk is illustrated.The hub B of the disk enters (see dotted lines, Fig. 6) and is extendedthrough the bearing at the top of the stand A. i

The disk B is embraced by a split ring B, that is loosely connectedtherewith by a stud 5*. (Shown by dotted lines.) The ring B is cut away(see Fig. 8) to receive a lever B the outer end of which enters a spacebetween the free ends of the split ring. The inner end of the leverrests on a pin 2, free to be slid radially in a hole in said disk. Thesplit ring and lever constitute one well-known form of clutch deviceinteri'uediate the disk and its shaft and the pulley A. The inner end ofpin 2 enters the chamber A of the shaft A and rests on a wedge 23,occupying a position therein. The wedge is carried by a sliderod a,surrounded by a spring a, one end of which abuts a part of the wedge andthe other end a collar (1 entering the outer end of the hollow hub B ofthe disk, where it is held by aset-screw a. The rod a is provided at itsouter end with a nut having an annular groove that is entered by aportion of the upper end of wedge-withdrawing means, shown as a lever C,pivoted at C on an ear extended from the stand A. The lever, as hereinshown, has an opening (see Fig. 1) contracted at its upper end, and theinner walls of the contracted parts of the opening engage the annulargroove, and as the lever C is moved outwardly in the direction of thearrow, Fig. 6, as will be described, the lever draws the wedge outwardlyin the same direction against and compressing the spring I that inpractice may be driven continuously a, thus enabling the pin to descendunder the action of the lever or dog B the lever in the position shownin Figs. 6 and 8 being in its inoperative position, the clutch beingdisengaged, and the pulley A runningloose on the then stationary shaft.The spring 6/ acts normally to move the wedge into the space A open theclutch-ring, and couple the loose pulley to the shaft.

The lever G has an adjustable screw C that contacts with a headed pin 6,inserted loosely in the stand A and surrounded by a spring e and anadjustable stop C The stand has a stud C*, on which is mounted ahand-lever 0, having a cam-shaped hub (3, that may be turned from itsfull into the dotted line position, Fig. 1, when it is desired to lockthe lever C in a position to free the pulley from the shaft.

The outer face of the disk B is provided with one or more arms D,loosely pivoted on stud-screws D and having slots (Z to receive each ascrew cl. Each arm has at its outer end a dog (Z and an outturned flange(Z made as a cam, as shown best in Figs. 4 and 6.

Each of the arms D occupy normally a position (see Fig. 1) with its freeend moved outwardly under the spring (F and the inner end of the slot (Zin contact with the screw d. In the rotation of the disk B by the pulleyA as each arm arrives opposite the end of the pin 6 the cam-shapedflange (Z of arm D meets said pin and pushes it outwardly, causing thepin to act against the screw (1 and move the lever C in the direction towithdraw the wedge 3, release the pin 2, and let the lever B move topermit the clutch to contract and free the pulley Afi so that it may runloosely about the shaft A So long as an arm D occupies a position withits flange in contact with the pin a, as described, so long the shaftwill remain at rest. To enable the clutch to engage the loose pulley andstart the shaft, I have provided the pulley with a stud e, on which Ihave mounted loosely a wheel 15, having a series of teeth, the wheelshown having eight teeth; but the number of teeth may be variedaccording to the number of rotations it is desired that the pulley A maymake in rotating the ratchet-wheel once.

T o rotate the wheel 15, the stand A has connected with it by a screw 12a bracket E, having a stud-screw 13, on which is pivoted an arm E,provided with an adjustable pawl 14, shown as a screw that is struck bya tooth of said ratchet-wheel 15 during each rotation of the loosepulley A. As each tooth meets said pawl the ratchet-wheel is turnedpartially, and the ratchet-wheel shown will be fully rotated duringeight rotations of said loose pulley. The arm E in its operativeposition is sustained by a stud f; but it may be turned into itsinoperative position and be sustained by a stud f.

The toothed wheel 15 is acted upon by a detent g, pivoted on a stud g,carried by loose pulley A and acted upon by a spring g The ratchet-wheelhas at its inner side starting means 17, which may present a pluralityof operative points, as shown in Figs. 5 and 5 or one operative point,as shown in Fig. 5, or, in fact, any desired number of such points,less, however, in number than the number of ratchet-teeth. The points onthe starting device may vary in number and position with relation toeach other according to the time at which the shaft is to be started andto the eX- tent of the rotative movement it is desired to impart to theshaft, which may be a full rotation or any part of a rotation, as willbe described.

The ratchet-wheel (shown in Figs. 1 and 5) has eight teeth and thestarting means 17 two operative points. In describing the operation ofthe apparatus I will assume that but one arm D is used; but it will beborne in mind that I may use two or any number of arms D that the diskB, keyed to the shaft, will carry and that the shape of the cam-faces ofthe ledges of the arms may be varied without departing from myinvention. If but one arm D is used, the pulley will rotate looselythree times about the shaft, and at the fourth rotation one of theoperative points of the starting means will meet the dog (Z and moveinwardly the outer end of the arm D, thereby removing the flange (Z fromthe end of the spring-pressed pin 6, and immediately the spring a ispermitted to act and slide the wedge a into the shaft, thus forcingoutwardly the pin 2 and moving the lever B to cause the ring B toimmediately clutch the traveling loose pulley A and take the shaft withit for one rotation, at which time the said arm D would again meet andmove outwardly the pin 6 and again efiect the release of the loosepulley. If the starting means had but one operative point, (see Fig.5)then the pulley would be free to be rotated loosely on the shaft seventimes and be coupled with and to rotate the shaft at the eighth rotationof the pulley.

If the starting means had but one operative point, as shown in Fig. 5and two arms D were employed, then the pulley might rotate seven andone-half times loosely about the shaft, and at the end of suchrevolutions the point would move one of the arms and effect theengagement of the clutch, so that the pulley would turn the shaftahalf-rotation, at which time the arm D would come into position andeffect the disengagement of the clutch, as described, from the pulley.The pulley would then again rotate seven and a half times, leaving theshaft at rest, and thereafter the arm D which was moved to elfect therelease of the clutch at the previous time would be again released,letting the clutch come into engagement with the pulley to rotate theshaft a half-revolution. It will thus be understood that an excess inthe number of teeth of the ratchet-wheel over the number of points ofthe starting means provides for the number of free rotations of thepulley about the shaft between the operations of the points to effectthe clutching of the loose pulley on the shaft to start the latter.

Now with the particular ratchet-wheel and starting-point shown in Fig. 5and two arms I) the pulley will rotate three and a half times looselyabout the shaft, and then an arm D will be again moved to enable thepulley to be engaged with and carry the shaft a half-rotation.Consequently it will be understood that I may provide the ratchet withany desired number of teeth and the starting means with any desirednumber of operatingpoints and that I may also provide the disk B withany desired number of arms D, and according to the numbers of teeth,points, and arms I may rotate the pulley loosely any desired number oftimes and pick up the shaft and rotate it once, or for a half-rotation,or for a quarter-rotation, or for any increment of a rotation at will,or I may rotate the shaft for a small portion of a rotation less thanone hundred and eighty degrees while the loose pulley is clutchedthereto, and at the next succeeding operation I may rotate the shaft formore than a half-rotation or for whatever difference there existsbetween the first partial rotation and the second partial movement tocomplete a full rotation, or, in other words, by the mechanism describedand using more or less arms, teeth, and points I may effect the rotationof the shaft A for any portion of a rotation greater or less than a fullrotation and follow it with a greater or lessrotation.

Viewing Fig. 5, it will be seen that the operative points of thestarting means are opposite; but should said points be arranged, asshown in Fig. 5", so that the points would both act in a quarter -turnof the ratchet-wheel it would follow that the pulley would be rotatedabout the shaft for between five and six rota-- tions, and then one ofthe points would effect the clutching of the pulley to the shaft androtate it, say, a quarter-turn, and thereafter the pulley would bereleased for, say, one and a fraction of a rotation, and then the secondpoint would effect the clutching of the pulley to the shaft and wouldrotate the shaft for less than a full rotation say three-quarters-andthereafter the pulley would again be run loosely about the shaft forbetween five and six rotations, as stated.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In apparatus of the class described, a shaft chambered at its end, apulley loose on said shaft; a clutch device comprising a disk, a hollowhub keyed to said shaft, a split ring, a lever and a pin; meansincluding a spring-controlled wedge to cause said clutch device to beengaged with and rotated by said pulley; a cam-arm carried by the diskof the clutch device, a lever connected with said wedge, a devicecarried by the loose pulley to maintain said cam-arm in its inoperativeposition and to release the same at a predeteri'nined time in therotation of the clutch device, and means intermediate said cam-arm andlever when said cam-arm is in its operative position to with draw saidwedge against its spring and release the clutch device.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a shaft chambered at its end, aclutch device fixed on said shaft, a pulley surrounding said shaftloosely, a wedge in said chamber, a lever connected with said wedge, acam-arm rotatable with the shaft, and means interposed between .said armand said lever to move the latter to free the loose pulley from theshaft.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a hollow shaft, a pulley looseon said shaft and adapted to be rotated continuously, a clutch devicefast on said shaft, a wedge located in said hollow shaft, a spring tomove said wedge automatically to effect the engagement of the clutchwith said pulley, a lever connected with said wedge, and means carriedby said clutch and pulley to impart outward movement at a predeterminedtime to said wedge to thereby disconnect the clutch from said pulley andlet the spring assume control of said wedge to again close the clutch toengage the pulley and again start the shaft in rotation.

4:. In an apparatus of the class described, a shaft, a loose pulleythereon adapted to be retated continuously, a clutch having an armprovided with a cam, a device actuated by said arm to free the loosepulley and enable the same to revolve about the shaft for a plurality oftimes, a device carried by said loose pulley to turn said arm to effectautomatically the coupling of the loose pulley with and to rotate theshaft for less than a full rotation, and means to turn intermittingly adevice carried by said loose pulley to move automatically said arm whenthe pulley is to run loosely on said shaft.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a shaft, a clutchfixed to saidshaft, a springcontrolled wedge, a pivoted arm having a cam, a leverconnected with said wedge, means intermediate said arm and lever to movesaid lever, withdraw said wedge and hold it withdrawn, and means toactuate said arm at a predetermined time in the rotation of the shaft torelease said lever that the spring coacting with the Wedge may move thelever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS G. HANSEN. Witnesses:

GEO. \V. GREGORY, Enrrn' M. STODDARD.

